In America, you are innocent until proven guilty. Prosecutors have the burden of proving that you committed the crime. To accomplish their goal, they use evidence collected by the police.

The successful criminal defense often depends on what that evidence is and how it was collected. Generally, if evidence was collected in violation of your constitutional rights, it cannot be used against you at trial. This is true of confessions that were obtained illegally as well as evidence obtained through illegal searches and seizures.

If your constitutional rights were violated, your lawyer can bring this to the prosecutor’s attention and use it as leverage in plea negotiations. This often works because prosecutors know that — without evidence against you — they will not be successful at trial. Knowing that a jury will most likely not find you guilty, they are often eager to make a plea deal.

I can help identify if your rights have been violated, and if so, build a solid defense on your behalf. Please contact my law office in Salt Lake City to learn more.

As a Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer, I examine all the facts related to your case. If I believe that police collected evidence against you in a way that violated your rights, I take action on your behalf. There are many ways that police may have violated your rights:

A traffic stop was made without reasonable suspicion

You were frisked or your car was searched without probable cause

Your home or property was searched without a valid warrant

You were interrogated for too long, against your will, in violation of your due process rights

You requested a lawyer, didn’t get one but were interrogated anyway

You weren’t read your Miranda rights before a custodial interrogation

Defenses Under Utah Law

I also take other legal and factual information into account, such as your acting in self-defense or having an alibi. You may have more options than you think, but it is critical to talk with me about your situation before you try to handle matters on your own.

There are many different defenses that apply in different situations. I often talk about these defenses with my clients:

Defense of property: Under Utah law, a person is justified in using force (but not deadly force) against another person in order to prevent that person from criminally interfering with the property.

Defense of necessity: In some circumstances, necessity may be a successful defense to criminal charges. If you had to choose the lesser of two evils in order to prevent imminent harm and had no legal alternatives to violating the law, you may be able to argue this defense.

Entrapment: Under Utah law, if you were tricked into committing an offense by a police officer (often working undercover), you may be able to argue that you were entrapped and never would have committed the offense otherwise.

Contact Catherine Cleveland Today.

To discuss your defense options with me, contact my office online. I am also available by phone at (801) 936-0870.

My exclusive focus as a Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer has helped me perfect successful legal strategies that are proven to be effective in Utah Courts. Throughout the years, I have achieved a history of favorable results by helping hundreds of people successfully reduce or avoid criminal charges. My clients’ positive testimonials tell their stories.